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Vocabulary is not an isolated skill. It is based on all areas of communication — listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Thus, having a robust vocabulary is the building block for success. An eVoc strategy is an electronic or technology-based strategy that teachers can use to develop students' vocabulary learning and interest in words. We use the term eVoc both to highlight that the strategies rely on digital tools and resources and to suggest the evoking of learning potential that is possible when technology and media are part of the instructional mix. Drawing on research-based principles of vocabulary instruction and multimedia learning, these digital tools and Internet resources engage students in vocabulary learning. The strategies support the teaching of words and word learning strategies, promote students' strategic use of on-demand web-based vocabulary tools, and increase students' volume of reading and incidental word learning.

Writing: Words have power! The correlation between writing and reading skills are intertwined. Both processes involve generating ideas and finding the right words. Too often students become frustrated at the task of descriptive writing since they do not have the skills to properly convey their ideas. We can ease this frustration by helping them develop a strong vocabulary toolbox to pull from, in turn making them successful writers.

Speaking: We strive for students to poses higher level thinking skills so they are able to express meaningful thoughts and ideas. Developing an effective communication style relies on a strong vocabulary foundation.

Reading: Reading is understanding! Reading comprehension is based on how well students are able to process and understand the meaning of passages they read. Mastering these skills is impacted by a robust vocabulary. At which point students shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn”.

Listening: We need to know how to understand what we hear. By developing enough essential word knowledge,  a student can understand new complex concepts and ideas being delivered.

Benefits: As vocabulary increases, so do student performance levels since they become skilled experts in all areas of communication. Take the time to focus on vocabulary instruction in your classroom by integrating it with technology.

Resources:
4 Benefits of Improving Vocabulary Instruction in your Classroom. January 31, 2018, downloaded June 26, 2020 from

https://nearpod.com/blog/4-benefits-improving-vocabulary-instruction-classroom/.

Dalton, B. and Grisham, D. 10 Ways to Use Technology to Build Vocabulary. Downloaded June 26, 2020 from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/10-ways-use-technology-build-vocabulary

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-       TouchCast                                       -Plickers                        -Animoto                   -Shadow Puppet

-       ThingLink                                         -Skitch                          -Showme                   -Paper Slides

-       Educreations                                   -FaceTime                     -Kahoot                     -Laptops/iPads

-       Skype                                              -Kidblog                         -Seesaw                    -internet access

-       Explain Everything                          -iMovie                           -Kids Media               -Smartboard

-       Padlet                                              -Nearpod                       -Digital Compass

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I had to take my "way back" machine and think about what I used to do when I taught elementary and how I utilized technology. Like Kori, I used Vocabulary A-Z in my 4-5 elementary classroom, and the kids really enjoyed playing the online games which were word based. I lliked that I could use my own word list which correlated to topics we were studying, especially Science vocabulary, or that I could use a list that was already created. I liked using vocabulary that went with the stories we were studying whcih came from Reading A-Z. For some of my students I used ABCMouse, and When I taught middle school, I used the Vocabulary Workshop series from Sadler-Oxford. This was a great series becasue it was leveled, and like Vocabulary A-Z it made differentiation easy. I would use the words lists to create online crossword puzzles, and I created Kahoots for review. I have had my high school students work through webquests and timelines, etc. which included some vocabulary development, again using Kahoot as a review, and my co-taught teacher and I, would use Quizlets for Early American History.

As for strategies, I usually give them the definitions, and ask them to define, or use them in a sentence as an entry or exit ticket. I have used Nearpod lessons that I have created for vocabulary development/acquisition. And I think this year, depending on how things go, I will ask them to storyboard their vocabulary to show me what they have learned.

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eVoc strategy 1: Learn from visual displays of word relationships within text: Developing breadth and depth of vocabulary depends on building connections between words and developing elaborate webs of meaning (Boulware- Gooden, Carreker, Thornhill, & Joshi, 2007). Graphic organizers and visual displays highlight the relationships between words (Baumann & Kame'enui, 2004). Two of  word mapping tools that support visual representation are Wordle and Wordsift.

eVoc strategy 2: Connect fun and learning with online vocabulary games: Vocabulary games that are available for free on the Internet  that offer a variety of activities to engage students in playing with words and word meanings: Vocabulary Games and Vocabulary. Games include crossword puzzles, picture-word matches, word scrambles, and 8 Letters in Search of a Word (a game that can draw you in unexpectedly as you race to create as many words as possible from eight letters within the time limit).

eVoc strategy 3: Have students use media to express vocabulary knowledge: This strategy focuses on students' vocabulary representations in multiple modes-writing, audio, graphic, video, and animation (Nikolova, 2002; Xin & Rieth, 2001). Promising research with universally designed digital text (Dalton & Proctor, 2007), suggests the benefit of having students develop word meaning as they read a definition, view graphics, listen to the word, write or audiotape a personal connection to the word, create a caption for a graphic, and complete an interactive word map (Proctor et al., 2007; Proctor, Uccelli, Dalton, & Snow, 2009). Students communicate word knowledge as they create a caption for an image. These types of activities offer students different modes of representation and expression and can be created with a variety of composing tools and formats, such as digital stories, photo essays, podcasts, and so on.

eVoc strategy 5: Take advantage of online word reference tools that are also teaching tools: Many online word reference tools are also excellent teaching resources. Many use multiple distribution platforms to reach learners wherever they are. For example, the Back in School webpage of Dictionary.com(dictionary.reference.com/student handbook) links to Facebook, has an iPhone application, a free toolbar application, a word of the day that is communicated on Twitter or as a text message on your mobile phone, and a free weekly word explorer audio podcast on iTunes.

eVoc strategy 7: Use language translators to provide just-in-time help for ELLs: Successful ELs leverage first-language knowledge to develop their English (Adesope et al., 2010; Jiménez, García, & Pearson, 1996). Online dictionaries often support multiple languages (e.g., the Yahoo! Kids dictionary supports 90 languages), and EL students should be taught to look for this option. Another resource is the language translator. The value of a translator is that it supports learning words as they occur naturally in authentic text and allows students to view bilingual versions of a text side by side so that they can use their first-language knowledge to develop their English vocabulary.

You can paste text into the translator field, select the input and output languages, and view the translation (see Babelfish, Google translator, and Bing Translator). You may also download a toolbar extension that translates any webpage automatically. Although these tools are not perfect (and may never be, given the nuances involved in translation), they are a good place to start for ELs. In fact, students often find the translator's mistakes both humorous and an entry point for discussing the nuances of word meanings.

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Pre-Assessment - Kahoot
Multiple Choice/Sentence Completion/True-False/Matching/Graphic, Blogging to an open-ended question that gets them writing/talking, Socratic seminar, journaling, summarizing, Quizzes, Response cards, Four corners, Think-pair-share, Ticket out the door, Peer instruction

Formative pencil–paper assessment

Rubrics:
Multimedia Presentation
Online Discussion
Portfolio